My Love Story ~ Part Twelve

For previous installments of my rib-tickling romance, click here. Thank you! :)

Spring time had arrived in Arkansas! The grass was green, the air was cool, birds were singing and flowers were blooming! I had forgotten most of the pain and heartache of letting go of Mike way back in January. I was even starting to enjoy being "single" again! I could dream up all kinds of exciting things for my future. I was no longer tied down by a guy. I no longer had the guilt of tying a guy down to me, either! I had a fantastic future ahead of me. I would be leaving to go Hyles-Anderson College in five short months and then I would make a difference for the cause of Christ! I had dreams and plans...and this guy. What would I do about him?
We held our annual tent revival in the spring that year. It was now the end of April. Bumper and I were still just sitting at church together and talking. That was it. We'd never had any kind of date that wasn't a group outing. Well, except for that birthday party of mine...I shudder. Let's just forget about that one, okay? Well, Terry walked to my car along with me and my Dad after the meeting was over one night.
"Mr. Courtney, would it be okay if Valerie went with me and my Grandparents out to eat for my birthday next Friday?" He sounded nervous, but he was trying to hide it. He was nice looking...but I had a plan...I wouldn't notice things like that.
"Who would be going with you?" Dad asked him.
"My Grandparents, Jim and Betty Basham. They're coming down from Mattoon, Illinois, to see me next Friday."
"Oh." Dad was thoughtful for a moment.Those few seconds felt like an hour! Finally his verdict:
"I guess that would be okay." He said. Bumper looked at me and smiled. We both let out a silent sigh of relief.
"Thank you!" Bumper said to Dad. He was so much nicer when he wasn't blind and wincing in pain.
"I'll pick you up at 7." He said happily.
"OoooK. I'll be ready." I said with a laugh.
I turned to go home, deep in thought. WHAT was I doing??? He was NOT the guy for me? Was I just leading him on? That would be a first for him, to be lead on, instead of doing the leading on! Or did I like him??? Oh my goodness! I LIKED him!

Well, the work week dragged by. I was really nervous about this date with Bumper. What a dumb name, I thought to myself. It sounds so, so juvenile. "Hi, I'm Valerie, and I'd like you to meet my boyfriend, Bumper." Nu-uh. It's not going to happen. I will not seriously date this guy. This is the guy who made fun of me at camp. This is the guy who used to date most of my friends. I cannot believe I'm going out with him.
Even though I felt like I was contradicting myself, I was happy. I was excited to be going out with him. Being with him was like having someone take my hand (figuratively, of course!) and say "Let me show you the world." He had been so many different places, and his outlook about church was so different. He had seen things from "behind the scenes" as a PK (preacher's kid), whereas I had always been on the outside looking in. He was smart, and witty. He had boldness. All of this was very attractive to me, but the most attractive thing about him, was that he liked me...a lot. I couldn't figure that out. I had never had a guy really interested in me. I was just never considered 'popular'. In fact, in ninth grade I had the crushing disappointment of being the only girl in my class who wasn't nominated for the homecoming court. That's right, with a whopping total of four girls in my ninth grade class, only the other three were chosen. I remember having to go to the Benton Courier newspaper office and stand to the side as I watched them all get their picture taken for the paper. Yes, this was a neon sign in my adolescence: You don't have what it takes to be liked, Valerie! Another tip off had been the fact that I'd had only three boyfriends prior to Mike, and they had all been pen pals. So, Bumper made my second real boyfriend. What did he see in me that was so wonderful? Did my fairy godmother come in the night to him and sprinkle a love potion over him? Maybe the Lord had done it.This had to be it! Whatever it was, I hoped it wouldn't wear off before our date.
I carefully selected my outfit for that night. I wore a white eyelet shirt and a light blue A-line skirt. My Mom ironed them perfectly for me. I'm sure she was happy that I had something to do! I hot-rolled my shoulder length hair and made sure my make-up hid all of my blemishes. I wanted to look as perfect as I could.
I heard a car door slam. He was here. "Okay, here goes nothin'." I whispered to myself as I looked in the mirror. "You've done all you can do."
Bumper was at the door. He looked so handsome standing there on our front porch.
"Hello." I said with a smile.
"Hi. You look beautiful." He said as he walked me to the car.
"Thank you. You look very nice yourself."
He introduced me to his grandparents. He had warned me ahead of time that his Grandfather, affectionately called "Paw", wore false teeth and often set them on the table during a meal. I really appreciated the warning!
Bumper drove his grandparents car, as he only had a truck, and I sat next to him. His poor grandparents had to sit in the back. His Paw immediately started teasing him about how long he had taken to get ready for tonight. He reached up from behind Bumper to muss his hair. "Don't mess his hair up! He worked so hard on it!" Gramma said to Paw. I silently chuckled and stared out the window to save Bumper from further embarrassment.
"Where do you want to eat? " He asked me.
"You mean I get a choice? It's your birthday! Besides, aren't you the chaperon that used to go on dates with me and get upset over indecision?" I said smiling.
"Ok. Let's go to the Lone Star Steak House in North Little Rock.". He said confidently.
"Fine!" I said with a sly grin.
Now, Bumper had only lived in Arkansas for almost a YEAR, so I thought he knew his way around well enough. I realized that was a mistaken idea on my part when we headed to Conway, instead of North Little Rock. I didn't know how to break the news to him. After all, he was the guy, he was driving, and this was our first date. I decided to just say it, as nicely as possible.
"Um. Bumper? Did you say you wanted to go to North Little Rock?" I asked him as sweetly as I could.
"Yeah. Why?"
"Weeeell.....we're headed to Conway."
"WHAT?"
"Yeah, I'm sorry. I didn't know how to tell you..."
"Oh, man! Where should I have gone?"
"Well, you should've have just stayed on I-30 and not taken the bypass. See, we are now on I-40 heading west."
"I can't believe that." He pulled off the Interstate because his Gramma wanted to be sure the tank was filled!
As Bumper gassed up, we saw a very long-haired, tattooed biker guy pull up to the pump. His grandparents teased me about going out with that guy.
"OOO yeah, he's my type!" I said jokingly. When Bumper got back in the car, we told him about my "new date."
"No, you're not going with him. You're right where you belong." He said with a smile.
"Yes, I am." I thought to myself. I can't explain it very well, because feelings are hard to put into words. I did know that I was right where I belonged. I belonged with him. It was as though our hearts were knit. Of course, I never shared this with him. I don't know if he knows it now! (I guess he will when he reads this!)
We pulled away from there and headed back to North Little Rock. We found the Lone Star Steak House. As we entered we were greeted by piles and piles of peanut shells on the floor and blaring country music. He didn't say so, but I think this wasn't exactly the atmosphere he was looking for because he asked me if I wanted to go to the Olive Garden instead. "Fine with me!" I said. (In my heart I was rejoicing!!! The Hallelujah Chorus was ringing in my ears! I loved that place!)
We headed next door to the Olive Garden. We didn't have to wait for a table and our food came right away. I am happy to report that Paw did not put his teeth on the table. Even though we were both nervous, we managed to have make some conversation.
"So, why are you called "Bumper"?" I finally had the courage to ask.
"I, um, used to bump into things with my walker when I was a baby, so Dad called me 'his little Bumper'."
"Oh, I see." I said. "Would you mind if I called you 'Terry'? Every time I say 'Bumper' I'm reminded of all the tricks you've played on me. Plus, I think 'Terry" fits you better."
"No, I don't mind." He said.
As we finished up our meal, the servers at Olive Garden surrounded our table. Gramma had told them that Bumper's birthday was that day. They brought him some delicious Black Tie chocolate pie!! Bumper dove into it. Of course, I was dying for a piece of pie, but it was our first date! What would he think of me? First impressions are important!
Bumper finally leaned over with a piece of pie on his fork, "Wanna bite?" he asked me.
"No thank you," I said, looking down.
"Why not?"
"Well, what if I eat that, and wake up feeling sick in the morning?" I said.
"Or what if you eat it, and wake up feelin' like a million bucks?" He said confidently.
I smiled...and took the bite.

Yes, I liked him, and it was time that I just admitted it. I didn't know how or when, but I knew he was the one for me.